Heady mix of art and fashion

This sculpture sitting in the window of French luxury brand Hermes' flagship store at Liat Towers is the store's latest art installation.

Named Smart Objects, the piece is designed by French artist Julien Amouroux, who works under the name of Le Gentil Garcon. The work will be on display till June.

It is part of the brand's long-running efforts to decorate its shop windows with art displays. Other artists whose works have been exhibited at the flagship store include South Korean contemporary artist Jinnie Seo, Swedish artist Thomas Broome and Japanese artist Takashi Kuribayashi.

An Hermes spokesman says: "Windows at Hermes are known for their whimsy, poetry and originality, providing viewers a glimpse into the world of Hermes through windows that reflect the brand's identity."

Commissioned by the fashion house, Smart Objects was inspired by the pseudoscience of phrenology, which believes that skull structures determine a person's character and mental capacity.

Designed like a phrenology map, in which each compartment is associated with a character trait, the structure holds different Hermes products in each section.

Amouroux says he designed the structure as a "playful representation of the human mind".

"Any manufactured object is the result of a thought, the materialisation of it," he adds.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on March 23, 2017, with the headline 'Heady mix of art and fashion'. Print Edition | Subscribe

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